Chapter 2.

Chapter 2.
I was standing in a long hallway with, what looked like, a billion doors on each of the walls that surrounded the floor on which I was standing. Then I started running. I don’t know why. I just started running. From what I don’t know. I didn’t stop until I saw someone standing about ten feet from me. He was someone I had never seen before.
He was tall, looked about 6’0 maybe taller. He was pale, but not freakishly pale. He had dark, almost black, hair, which made his crystal eyes stand out like a sore-thumb.
He was unbelievably beautiful. I couldn’t take my eyes take my eyes ff of him. It was like I was in a trace.
“Stacey.” he said very quietly.
“Y- you know my name? How?” I asked. I was some what freaked out that a complete strange knew my name.
“I’m here to help. I’m here to insure your safety. I’m your protector.” he said, still strait-faced.
“Safety? I’m in danger?! What’s going on? Please tell me something useful!” I was now screaming.
“Calm down Stacey. You are not in danger now. But when you are in danger…
I’ll be here.” he said. Now ,somehow, he was beside me, looking into my eyes. I was yet again in a trance. Those eyes…
“But who are yo-” he stopped me.
“You don’t need to know that right now.” he said, now backing up. “Now, Stacey, I leave you to your day of picking out paint colors and movies”
And then he was gone.
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“Stace. Stacey? Honey, time to wake up. Its 10:30.” it was my mother.
“Ugh. Okay, I’m up. I’ll be down in a little while. Give me a couple minutes to wake up.” I said. I hate being woken up.
As soon as she walked out and closed the door, I was up. I tried to go back to sleep, but it was no use. So, I slowly sat up and got out of bed.
‘ Enjoy it. School starts in three days. Then you will be forced to wake up and 6:00.’ I reminded myself.
Suddenly I remembered my dream. It gave me chill bumps. Even though it was just a dream, it felt s real. I cant even explain it. I know I shouldn’t take it seriously, but I had a gut feeling that I should. I believe that dreams are sometimes just dreams, nothing more. But I also think that at other times that give us signs to help us. But I know I’m reading too much into a silly dream.
Once I was fully awake, I walked downstairs and grabbed a pop tart from a box in the kitchen. It felt to me, my room was the room in our house that was finished being set up. I liked it the way it was. But the rest of the house was still in a state of chaos.
“What time do you think you’ll be ready to go paint shopping?” mom asked me. I was suddenly aware she was there.
Ugh. I was not up for paint shopping today. I just wanted to go sit down somewhere and read.
“Oh, I completely forgot that we had that planned today. Um, I don’t know.” I said.
“You don’t have to go, I could go. Just tell me what colors you were thinking about painting your room and your bathroom.” she said, she didn’t seem all that down about me not wanting to go.
“Um, I was thinking a color to go good with my comforter. So, like a rich light creamy color. I guess. And my bathroom, I was thinking a bright yellow...?” I said, questioning myself .
“Okay. Ill get the colors I was thinking about for the other rooms and bring you some paint samples so I don’t waste money if get the wrong color. Then, I have go run some other errands. So I should be back by two.” she said, as she kissed me cheek. “I’ll have my cell phone if you need me.” she called out as she was walking out the door.
Once she was gone I went upstairs and got a book grandpa gave me before the move. I had no clue what it was about, but I thought It looked good. I went to the book shelf and scanned the shelves, until I found it. I walked onto the back part of the porch and sat on the rocking chair we have sitting on there. I started reading.
It was about a girl who fell in love with a boy who was very dangerous. They were in love, but he was so afraid he would hurt her. They weren’t suppose to be together it what I got from what I had read so far.
I was deep into the book, when I heard something walk up on the porch. I looked up from the book and there it was. The dog that had been watching me.
Only it wasn’t a dog, it was a wolf, a big wolf. I had never seen one that big.
I was scared. I just sat there, unable to move. I just stared at it, unable to look away.
“Okay dog, go on now, shoo.” I said. But it was useless. It didn’t leave. On the contrary, it walked closer.
I closed my eyes. I was to afraid that it would leap at me or run and try to kill me if I looked at it for too long.
‘Please don’t hurt me!’ I was screaming in my head.
‘I won’t.’
I opened my eyes and it was less than a foot away from where I was sitting.
Did I just imagine that or did the dog just talk?
“Did you-did you just talk to me?” I asked. Gosh, I felt stupid. Talking dogs. Yeah right.
It just sat there and looked me in the eyes.
I looked back. And as I did, I saw something. Something familiar. The eyes! Were they the blue eyes I had seen in my dream the previous night? No, the boy I’d seen in my dream was, well, a boy, not a dog. And, I didn’t even get a real good look at the dream boy’s face last night.
I stood up and walked over to the dog. It backed away. I walked closer. Again, it backed away.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” I told him in a calm voice.
‘It is not you I worry about. I was just checking on you.’ said the voice.
And no sooner had he come, did he run off into the woods. Leaving me there standing looking like an idiot.
What was that he talking about? Was he the thing he was telling me he was protecting me from last night? Ugh. “This is all too confusing. I don’t have time for- TIME!” I yelled.
What time was it? Benjamin would be here to pick me up soon. I ran inside and looked at the clock on the stove It was 3:30. I had a little time before I had to start getting ready. Wait, it was past three, where was mom?
Just then she came busting in the door, dragging what looked like to be twenty plastic bags.
“ I have been knocking on the door for at least ten minutes . I need help. I can’t carry paint and groceries all by myself.” she said, sounding kind of ticked off. I ran over to help her bring everything in the house.
After we got everything in from the car in was ten past four. I dashed upstairs and jumped in the shower. I washed my hair and shaved my legs, which took up about thirty minutes. I barely hard time to blow-dry my hair and straighten it and put on makeup. By the time that was all done, it was six on the dot. I had time to pick out an outfit. I chose jeans, and a pink polo with a white tank top underneath it, and brown flip flops. It was casual, but not sloppy. I walked downstairs and ate a little snack and rand back upstairs to brush my teeth. As I was coming down the stairs, there was a knock at the door.
“Coming!” I yelled. I opened the door and Benjamin was standing there in jeans a t-shirt.
“Hey there.” I said with a smile. “Bye mom. I’ll be back later.” I called out to my mom.
“You guys have fun” she yelled back. Then I walked out side and closed the door behind me.
“You look very pretty tonight, Stacey.” Benjamin said with a smile.
“Thanks. So do you.” I said blushing. “What movie are we going to see?”
“Um, I think we are going to pick when we got there, but its between Freddy vs. It or that one about that boy and that girl that runaway together.” he said, as we got into his car.
“Well, I have already seen Freddy vs. It. And its nothing new. just the same old blood and guts that are in all of Freddy’s movies. And Yeah, I know the one you are talking about. That looks good.” I said.
We had small little conversations on the way to the movies, just small talk, trying to get to know each other.
By the time we got there, everyone else had bought their movie ticket. Thank God, it wasn’t any of the ones I had already seen. I went up to the movie counter and bought my ticket, Benjamin did the same. We had just enough time for Benjamin to introduce me to everyone, to get our snacks and find a sit in the theater before the movie started.
The movie wasn’t as good as I had expected it to be, but it was okay. The movie was finally over around nine-ish.
We all came out around the same time.
Once we were outside, Benjamin turned to me and said “We are all going to drive down to the Point No Point Lighthouse in a little while. Its right outside of town. There’s a beach and we were going to build a bon fire. It should be really fun. You wanna come?”
“Yeah, sounds fun. I’d have to call my mom though and let her know that were going there.
So I pulled out my phone and dialed my mom’s number.
“Hello?”
“Hey mom. Its me. I was wondering if I could go to some lighthouse place with everyone. There’s a beach and they are building a bon fire. Can I go?” I asked.
“Sure honey. I know where you are talking about. What time are you going to be home?”
“Um, hold on. Hey Benjamin?”
“Yeah” he shouted.
“What time are we going to get home?”
“Um, No later than twelve. Is that okay?”
“Twelve good, mom?”
“Yeah just be careful. I’ll se you when you get home.” she said.
“Okay. Bye mom.” then I hung up.
I walked over to where everyone was meeting and I walked over to Benjamin and told him she said that was fine. We got in his car and he led the way to the lighthouse.
He was right, it wasn’t really all that far out. It took about ten minutes before we got there and parked. The beach was so pretty. I loved the sound of waves crashing on the sand. It has been sometime since I have been to a beach. I went for my 12th birthday and that was the last time I had been.
“You ready?” Benjamin asked, opening the car door.
“Yeah. Lets go.” I said back to him.
We got out of the car and as we did, everyone else was pulling up and getting out too. I didn’t realize so many people had come. It was like a party. I was not good with parties. I never have been good with parties.
But still, I’ll just have to get over it. If I was going to make any friends, I would have to step out of my comfort zone. So, I walked over to the bon fire pit with Benjamin and sat in the sand. A couple girls and a guy came over and sat by me. We started talking.
One’s name was Whitney, she was blonde with green eyes was the first to talk.
“So, I hear you came from Texas. I bet that’s a huge change, moving from dry and hot to humid and rainy.” She seems really nice and very outgoing.
The next girl’s name was Delilah. She looks Asian. She was very pretty. She didn’t talk to much. She just asked how I liked it here and what grade I was in, and those sort of things.
The last girl was the most beautiful. She made me feel very ugly. She had long, straight, almost black hair with crystal blue eyes. She introduced herself as Shannon. Then she turned to the boy that came with her. He was the most handsome boy I had ever seen. His long ,almost black, hair was cut so he could flip it to the side. And those eyes. It must be some family thing, because I have NEVER seen eyes that blue before.
I suddenly had a Deja vu moment. I felt like I had seen him before. But where? I had never seen any of these people before tonight, except for Benjamin.
“And this is my brother, Chance.” she finally said.
“Hi chance, I’m-” I was cut off.
“Stacey. I know. Everyone is talking about you. So, what brings you to the bon fire?”
“Benjamin invited me.” I said simply.
“Oh.” he said with shock in his voice. “Well, I hope you enjoy yourself. And maybe we can catch up later tonight.” he said, just before he got up and started walking down the beach. He didn’t seem like the kind of person that liked talking much.
“Sorry about my brother. He isn’t really good with new people.” Shannon said, noticing my facial expression.
“No, its fine. I understand, I’m not all that great with new people either.” and that was the truth. I wish I could just get up and walk away from everything else, just like Chance had done. I wish I could go talk to him one-on-one, to find out more about him.
Why had he been so eager to leave so fast? I wanted to find out. But I couldn’t be rude and just leave everyone.
So I stayed. They finally got the bon fire going, and it was big. Everyone just kind of sat around and talked, some people brought marshmallows to roast. But it was basically pointless, no one really talked about anything important.
I thought I was going to die, until, out of nowhere Chance walked up and sat beside me.
“Hey” he said.
“Hey yourself.” I said right back.
“You enjoying yourself?” he asked.
“Yeah” I lied, unconvincingly. He knew I was lying, too.
“ You wanna go for a walk? Its would be a lot more interesting then what’s going on here.” he said with a crooked smile.
I knew it was rude, but I had to go. Something was forcing me to get up and tell everyone I was going for a walk.
As we were walking, we really didn’t talk about much at first. Then I finally asked him, “ Do I know you from somewhere? Because I have the strangest feeling I have met you before tonight.”
“I don’t know. You might. Or you could just be imagining things.” he said with a smirk.
“Oh, a wise guy?” I chuckled. So did he. “ But seriously, I really feel like I have seen you before. Maybe when I first got here? Were you at the Pizza Kitchen with Benjamin?”
“No, Benjamin and I aren’t what you’d call friends.” he said simply.
“Oh.” I paused. “Okay, This is going to sound crazy, but I think I have seen you in a dream I have had.”
I can’t believe I just told him I had a dream about him. He must think I’m a total geek.
But he said nothing. He stopped walking and just stood looking out into the ocean.
“Maybe not,” I said, trying to cover up my stupid moment.
“Did ‘I’ say anything in this dream of yours?” he suddenly asked.
“Oh,” I was taken of guard by his sudden spring of interest. “You told me you were there to protect me, you said you were my protector from dangers that will happen to me. But I mean, I’m sure it wasn’t even you.” I said, still a little embarrassed.
There again, he stood staring out into the ocean, not saying a word.
As he stood there I could not help but notice how handsome he looked in the moon light, or how good his hair looked as the ocean breeze blew against it. Wait, what was I doing? I barely knew this guy, I had met him, what, ten minutes ago? And I was already falling head over heels for him.
‘Stop’, I told myself. ‘You don’t even know him. Get to know him before you think about how absolutely beautiful he is. Stop now!’
He started chuckling. I didn’t know why.
“What are you laughing at?” I asked.
“Nothing. You wouldn’t understand, not yet anyway.” he said, still laughing to himself.
So, my guess was that the whole “dream” conversation had come to an abrupt stop, because somehow we were talking about the beach.
We had been out there so long, just talking and getting better acquainted. But he seemed distant, like he was almost afraid to get too close to me. I did most of the talking and he just listened. I would have never notice what time it was if Benjamin hadn’t have come looking for me.
“Hey, Stace, its 11:30, and everyone is starting to leave. You about ready?” he asked, eyeing Chance.
‘No’. I thought.
“Yeah, lets go.” I said instead.
Chance laughed again. “ Nice to meet you Stacey. I hope we see more of each other soon.” he said as I was walking away.
“Yeah same here.” I said, not knowing what else there was to say.
Then Benjamin and I said bye to everyone else and walked to his car.
Once we got in he just sat there. Then he finally said “What were you and that Chance guy doing?” he sounded a little mad.
“We were just talking. Why?” I asked.
“Well, I know your new here, but him and his group of friends are not the best people to hang around. They aren’t right.”
“Why? He seemed pretty okay while we were talking. What’s the matter with them?” I asked again.
“They are just a little bit…off. There is something about them that just isn’t right Stacey and I don’t think you should hang around them more than you have to.” and that was all he would say to me on that subject.
Once he dropped me off, and I thanked him for the ride, I walked inside and Mom was sitting on the couch, waiting on me to get in.
“How was is?” she asked, as I was walking in the door.
“Fun. I met a lot of new people. Everyone was really nice.” I said. I was suddenly swept over with the fact that I was really tired.
“ You okay Stacey?” she asked, with a hint of worriedness in her voice.
“Yeah, I’m just really tired. I think I’m going to on to bed. Love you mom.” I bent over the back of the couch and kissed her on the forehead.
“Love you, too honey.” she told me as I was walking up the stairs.
I was so tired I could barely find the strength to brush my teeth and wash my face. I slowly slipped into some pajamas and climbed into bed, but not before I walked over to my window and looked into the forest behind the house. And to no surprise to me, was the wolf. I didn’t know if I should have been afraid or not. But all I cold focus on tonight was sleep.
So, I walked away from the window after a couple seconds and climbed into bed.
And as I closed my eyes and drifted deeper into sleep, I heard the faintest whisper in my head tell me “Goodnight Stacey, pleasant dreams await you when you sleep. And don’t worry, tonight, you will be safe.”
Safe from what? I wondered as I sank into a complete deep sleep.